'1.30.71
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CT
*EGON
!..ECTION
DUE TO BE
RETURNED in last date below.
o. and date due giv,
REF", only when tra ransaction No:
0 6r:
Ralph Bogart
OREGON STATE
LIBRARY
Documtnts stctien
4
FEDERAL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE e OREGON STATE COLLEGE i CORVALLIS
Cooperative Extension Work In Agriculture and Home Economics, F. E. Price. director.
Oregon State College and -the United States Department of Agriculture cooperating.
Printed and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914.
Jill
I Press or radio annowic_
it
,
FEB 6 1:,;,

The author appreciates the help of rabbit breeders for their many suggestions.
Some of the pictures were furnished by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the courtesy of
George S. Templeton and Charles E. Kellogg, and by the
University of California through the courtesy of H. M. Butterfield and William W. Paul. Anthol Riney, County Extension
Agent, Salem, Oregon, supplied the picture of the New Zealand
White rabbit. The other pictures were taken by Burdette Peterson, John Kaufmes, Robert Tether, Ken Minnich, and the author. Special thanks go to Rudy's Rabbitry where many of the pictures were taken. The recipes for cooking rabbit meat were supplied by Professors Grayce Goertz and Andrea Mackey of the School of Home Economics, Oregon State College, by
A. W. Oliver, and by Mrs. Ernest Rudisill, Corvallis, Oregon.
Revising of 4-H Club literature is being done in cooperation with advisory committees composed of 4-H Club leaders, representatives of the industry involved in the bulletin, County
Extension Agents, and in many cases older 4-H Club members.
These advisory committees work in close cooperation with the central staff specialists of the subject matter involved at Oregon
State College, as well as the state 4-H Club department. In this bulletin acknowledgment is made to the advisory committee composed of Dan Law, Portland, J. Cyril Lowitt, Troutdale,
Ernest H. Rudisill, Corvallis, Chester Frederickson, Salem,
Ralph Bogart, 0. S. C., Corvallis, S. E. West, Willamette, and
County Extension Agents C. C. Miller, Gresham, and R. H.
Cate, Jr., Medford.

Importance of Rabbits in Oregon
Production for Profit
Getting into the Rabbit Business
Selecting Rabbits for Breeding
Breeds of Meat or Utility Rabbits
Judging
Records as a Guide in Selection
Housing the Rabbits
The Hutch
The Nest Box
Water and Feeding Equipment
Feeds and Feeding
Feeding the Doe and Litter
Dry Does and Bucks
Use of Pellets
Antibiotics
Handling Rabbits
Rabbit Breeding
-
Age to First Breed
Breeding Procedures
Records
Identification
Production Records
Marketing
Selling Rabbits for Market
Rabbit Butchering
Selling Breeding Stock
Home Use of Rabbits
Rabbit Cookery
How to Show and Judge Rabbits
Preparing Rabbits for the Show
Showing
Judging Rabbits
Summary
Some Good References
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RALPH BOGART
Professor of Animal Husbandry
do well in Oregon because of the generally uniform not depend entirely upon them as a source of income, but there are a few people who do nothing but raise rabbits. Thus, rabbits fit into a scheme where only a few are kept or where they are raised by the hundreds. Since they can be raised in back yards, rabbits make suitable animal projects for town children.
Because rabbits produce rapidly, boys and girls can have the full production program with them as a project, starting with breeding and continuing until the young are raised and marketed. The total income to the State of
Oregon from rabbits is estimated at more than three million dollars per year. The most of this income is from meat rabbits.
Profits in rabbit production depend largely upon feed costs and selling price of the rabbits marketed because feed costs make up a large portion of the total cost of production. Two other costs are labor and equipment. Labor is often not given serious consideration because the backyard production of rabbits is done in spare time or by the children of the family. For anyone who expects to earn money from rabbit production, labor must be considered as a cost of production.
To give us a guide as to what kind of production one must have to cover feed costs alone with different feed costs and selling prices
TABLE 1.
FEED COST PER POUND OF LIVE YOUNG PRODUCED AT
VARYING COSTS OF FEED AND PRODUCTION OF YOUNG.
Feed cost per
100 pounds 40 pounds
$5.0036.5
4.00
29.2
3.00
21.9
2.00
14.6
1.00
7.3
Production per doe per year
60 pounds 80 pounds 100 pounds
30.00
24.0
18.0
12.0
6.0
27.00
21.6
16.2
10.8
5.4
25.0¢
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
120 pounds
24.0¢
.19.2
14.4
96
4.8

6 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745 of rabbits, a table has been prepared with feed costs at $1.00 to $5.00
per hundred weight and production of live friers per doe per year from 40 to 120 pounds. It is based on 150 pounds feed per doe and her share of the feed for the buck per year on the basis of one buck to eight does. The feed for the young is based on 3.5 pounds of feed per pound of live young marketed. Some producers will do better than this but these are averages.
It can be seen from the table that when live rabbits are selling for
27 cents per pound one must produce 80 pounds per doe per year in order to meet the feed costs at $5.00 per hundred. If you are not able to get your feed cheaper or to produce more per doe, you will have nothing left to cover the costs of labor and equipment.
You must not get the idea that rabbits can be kept in a discarded crate or orange box and fed scraps from the table and garden. Their care requires a suitable hutch, regular attention, good feed, and careful planning. If properly cared for, the doe should bring in about ten dollars per year over feed costs for the time spent in taking care of her. Some will do much better but some does will not raise enough young to pay feed costs. Careful records will show which ones are profitable and which ones should not be kept longer. Since it will usually take only a little longer to care for eight or ten does and a buck than one or two does and a buck, everyone who can should try to have about this many as a unit. The ratio of eight or ten does to one buck is about right because there is less expense for buck service when this number of does is kept than with one or two does.
It is best not to start with too many until you know whether you are going to like rabbit raising.
You should consider meat rabbits if you are a beginner because they take less specialized care; breeding stock is more easily obtained ;
; surplus animals are easier to market. After you have had experience with rabbits you may want to try fancy rabbit raising or the'production of wool rabbits.
is suggested that you raise only the meat rabbits because this is a stable enterprise, whereas fancy-rabbit demands come and go.
Breeds Of meat or utility rabbits
The breed to choose depends largely on what breed you like and what breed is most common in your community. If one breed of

RABBIT PRODUCTION 7 rabbits is prevalent in your community, you can buy breeding stock with less trouble and risk and you know this breed does well there or it would not be the one in greatest number.
Two breeds of meat rabbits that are common in Oregon will be described to give you a guide. Your careful consideration of one of these two breeds described is suggested but you may want to consider others. For a description of other meat rabbits and of fancy rabbits see "Standard of Perfection" put out by American Rabbit and Cavie Breeders Association.
NEW ZEALAND WHITE (Figure 1)
.
The ideal New Zealand
White should present a medium length body with well-filled-out hind quarters and saddle, tapering slightly toward shoulders. The shoulders should be full and well set and flanks well rounded out. The animal should be blocky. The body should be broad, deep, and smooth, with an even covering of firm, solid flesh. The animal should appear in a healthy condition of flesh and fur. The weights by ages are : pounds.
Intermediate (five to seven months of age) :
: pounds ; does, 8 to 10 pounds.
Seniors (over seven months of age) : bucks, 9 to 11 pounds ; does, 10 to 12 pounds.
Figure 1.
New Zealand White Doe: Blocky and well developed in the more valuable meat parts, the hind quarters, loin, and saddle.

8 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
CALIFORNIAN (Figure 2). Very plump and full over and around the hips, firm meaty saddle, full and meaty to nape of neck, down the sides, and over the ribs and shoulders, and with little wastiness.
The condition should be firm and even; free from softness or over fatness. The legs should be straight and of medium length. The ears should be 44- inches, erect and not open bell shaped. The head should be short and broad with a short neck. The weights by ages are :
:
Juniors (up to five months of age) : 8 pounds maximum.
Intermediate (five to seven months of age) :
: bucks, not more than 9 pounds; does, not more than 91 pounds.
Seniors (over seven months of age) : bucks, 8 to 10 pounds ;
; does, 84 to 10-1 pounds.
Color markings are dark nose, ears, feet, and tail, with all the rest of the body white. There should be no white spots in the dark areas or dark spots in the white areas.
figure 2.
Californian Doe: Smaller and blockier than the New Zealand and like the latter well developed in the important meat partsthe saddle, the loin, and hind quarters.
Judging
Judging or appraising the rabbit's value by its appearance is one method of selecting. This method is useful in determining the kind of carcass the animal would make if it were slaughtered and whether or not it has any abnormal or diseased parts.
Simply by

RABBIT PRODUCTION 9 looking at the animal, however, one can do little if any selecting for production; he can do little by this method to determine the litter size, etc.
Perhaps the most important basic principle for you to follow in judging is first to see if the rabbit has any disqualifications and second to look most carefully at the most important parts of the rabbit.
DISQUALIFICATIONS. Certain bad traits are so serious that they cause the animal to be thrown out of the class in shows, no matter what breed it is. Other traits are disqualifications for certain breeds only. The first type is described here and you are referred to "Standard of Perfection" for breed disqualifications.
Buck teeth. The teeth of rabbits grow all through life but they usually wear as fast as they grow. If they do not meet properly and wear, they keep on growing. Sometimes the front teeth curl in and continue to grow till they penetrate into the flesh. Sometimes they grow out to give the appearance of a big white dagger. Since this is a serious handicap to eating and because it is an inherited condition, rabbits with buck teeth should be culled.
Crooked legs. Very fine and long-boned rabbits quite often have crooked front legs. One can help find crooked front legs by straightening the front legs out side by side from the elbows down. If they are crooked they will cross or go far apart. Crooked hind legs are usually caused from a poor setting of the hocks with the hind foot going out to the side rather than straight under the rabbit. These conditions show faulty bone development. They cause the rabbit to go lame, and because they are inherited weaknesses rabbits showing the weakness should be culled.
Careless rearing. Some conditions are due to the raiser's carelessness rather than to a fault of the rabbit. When a rabbit has ear canker (or ear mite) it should be disqualified because this is the judge's way of telling the raiser that this kind of rabbit is the raiser's fault.
This mite can go from one rabbit to another.
Rabbits that have mites should be culled for isolation to prevent the disease from spreading to other rabbits. For a cure or preventative you should read Oregon State College's Extension Bulletin 726.
Crooked tail.
Screw tail, wry tail, broken tail, or dead tail are evidence of genetic abnormalities ; or bob tail which might indicate a crooked tail which has been removed are all disqualifications.
Diseases.
Colds, snuffles, slobbers, bloat or pot belly, infected hocks, vent disease, running sores, tumors, rupture, and blindness

Figure 3.
Malocclusion in the rabbit.
Skull at left from normal rabbit; on right, from one in which wear is not proper. Teeth at the top grow up and into mouth while lower teeth grow out like daggers.
Figure 4.
Rabbit with buck teeth:
Figure 5.
Rabbit with crooked right hind leg.
Figure 6.
"Flop" ears in rabbits are due to improper handling or a genetic weakness of ear
attachment.

-
RABBIT PRODUCTION 11 disqualify rabbits during the time they affect the animal. When the rabbit recovers, there may be no lasting effect.
Because ruptures, tumors, and blindness usually are permanent and may be evidence of genetic weakness, they should be reasons for culling rabbits. The other diseases are more likely caused from infections which may have started because of an unthrifty condition of the rabbit and improper feeding or housing. You are advised to consult Extension Bulletin 726 on rabbit diseases to help you control these and other diseases of rabbits and learn how to prevent them in the first place.
Ears. Broken down ears may be due to poor inheritance or ,they may have been caused by handling the rabbit by the ears. In all rabbits except the "Lops," this type of ears is a disqualification.
C
'I EST
Figure 7.
Important parts of a rabbit.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
Since you are raising rabbits primarily for meat, you should consider the important meat parts first and then look over the less important parts. In type, a rabbit might be compared with a concrete block. It should be broad, deep, and thick, and should carry its width uniformly. The ideal rabbit looks like an oblong block.
Several important considerations in conformation can be made more clearly by first learning the parts of the rabbit.
The hind quarter should be full and plump and bulging with meat. The hip bones or "hooks" should be covered with flesh so that

12 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745 they do not stand out as bony prominences. The loin should be wide and so heavily covered with meat that the side processes and bony center of the backbone do not feel strong to the fingers and thumb as you go up and down the loin with your hand. The saddle should be wide and evenly fleshed with fleshing extending down over the ribs.
The shoulders should be wide and full but the tops of the shoulders should be closely attached so that no open space is present between them. There should be no drop just behind the shoulders. The neck should be short and broad with a short, broad head neatly attached.
The ears, in length proportional to body size, should be erect and of good quality.
After you have seen that the rabbit meets qualifications and
should be bright and show the health of the animal. It should have
Figure 8. Common faults to avoid:
(upper left) rough shoulders;
(above) low or weak back; (left) prominent, bony hip showing.
a good "fly-back" when stroked the wrong way. There should be no wooliness. Remember the color requirements in colored rabbits. In white rabbits no color in fur or toenails is permitted.
WHAT TO AVOID.
Ideal type and conformation have been described. However, to illustrate some defects in type and conformation, line drawings of several are presented in an exaggerated fashion.
Keep in mind that it is these weaknesses in type and conformation which should be avoided because they indicate less meat in the more valuable parts.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 13
Records as a guide in selection
You have decided upon the breed and you know some rabbits or have some that are free from weaknesses that disqualify them as good breeding stock. You are satisfied with them in appearance because they have desirable type and conformation. But there are some other things to think about. Will these rabbits breed and have large litters ?
Will the mother rabbits take care of their babies and give enough milk to raise them properly? Will the little bunnies grow rapidly and be fat and healthy? Will the young rabbits make good butcher rabbits at 2 months, the age they should be weaned ?
FERTILITY. The ability of the female rabbit to breed and settle is very important. She should breed just before or just after her litter is weaned and one breeding should be sufficient. In about 32 days from the time of breeding she should have a large litter of big, healthy babies. But you will not know all this without records. You should keep a record of the date of breeding of each doe and to what buck she is mated. If several does are bred to a buck and all or most of them fail to settle, you should consider using another buck because this one is of low fertility.
Since low fertility may have a genetic cause, you are justified in culling low fertility rabbits.
But suppose the buck settles most of his does and one doe repeatedly breeds but has no young. You must consider her of low fertility and think about culling her.
Perhaps a second evidence of low fertility is just as important as the first, but it can be measured only in the mother rabbit. This is small size of litter. A doe that has one, two, or three young will lose money for you and because this may be due to genetic cause, females that have two small litters in a row and no big litters should be culled. Of course you would not cull an old doe or a young doe on the basis of one small litter. You should keep a record of the date of birth and number of young born in all litters.
_
If you are selecting breeding stock, look over the records of the does and bucks producing the rabbits you are considering buying.
Remember that rabbits from good producers are more apt to be good producers themselves.
MOTHERING ABILITY. You may have does that will have goodsized litters but that show no interest in the young or have no milk for the young. This can be due to improper feeding, poor health, and such causes, but if most of the does in the rabbitry do well and one or two fail to raise their young, you suspect that these does have an inherited tendency for being poor mothers. If they do this two times in succession, you can not keep them any longer.

14 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
One other evidence of poor milking is
scrawny, undersized young. Then it seems that the best measure of a doe's mothering ability is for her to raise a large litter to a heavy weight at 2 months of age and to have all of them fat and plump.
be a good mother you should weight the young at two months of age and keep a record of this. One thing you might think about is that uniformity in size and fatness at weaning helps to sell the young.
Maybe you ought to weigh each young separately so you can see how much variation there is in weights within the litter. You might well give a doe some extra credit for having a uniform litter. A judge in placing the doe-and-litter class certainly pays attention to this.
FAT YOUNG. Are the young fat at weaning time ? The normal time to sell rabbits for meat is when they are weaned. If the young have done well they should be fat and large enough to butcher at weaning time which is usually at two months of age. You can not afford to let the doe be with the litter too long because you want her to
are small and not fat when they are two months old, you will have to feed them until they do become fat. If you wean them, it will set them back so much that you can not put gains on them for two to three weeks following weaning. If you do not wean them, you are losing the time of the doe and the feed you put into her. Any way you handle these rabbits that are not fat enough at two months to sell for meat, you lose money. The only thing to do is to raise those that are fat and big at weaning time. This means culling does that da not raise good, fat young. But in order to do this, you must give the doe a chance. Young does may do poorly in the first litter but be good producers later. All does may fail you if you fail them.
Figure 9.
Butcher types: (left) ideal butcher rabbit with deep body, smooth hip, plump leg, and full loin; (right) common butcher rabbit with long shallow body, bony hip, narrow loin, pinched heart, and lack of fullness in the leg.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 15
They cannot do a good job of raising fat young if you don't do a good job in feeding, watering, cleaning, and caring for them. Your records should show your rating of the young as meat rabbits at two months of age so you can use this in selection.
TYPE OF YOUNG. Are the young what we like ? You should notice all the young in the litter and not be swayed by one or two nice ones.
If some of the young are off-type or show faulty conformation or have some bad feature like flop ears, it is more than likely that the good ones in that same litter carry this bad inheritance.
Therefore, you should look over every one of the young in the litter and make a record of any bad feature or fault as well as recording unusually good qualities. This will be a big help in picking out breeding stock to go into your rabbitry or in selling to some other breeder.
Figure 10.
Carcasses from the two rabbits shown in Figure 9. In the carcass on the left from the ideal butcher rabbit, note the full loin and leg and fleshing over bony prominences.
In the carcass on the right from the common butcher rabbit, note narrow loin, lack of fullness in the legs, and prominent bones.

16 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
Hutches and equipment are important in keeping rabbits healthy.
If the hutches and other equipment are difficult to clean, diseases may be impossible to control.
Also, if the hutch does not protect the rabbits properly from weather, harmful animals, etc., losses may occur.
The hutch
to ,provide a dry, clean place free from drafts for the rabbits.
PI' SPACE REQUIREMENTS. The size of the rabbit determines the amount of space required. The Flemish Giant, for example, requires much more space than the Polish breed because of size differences.
A rule-of-thumb figure is one square foot per pound of doe. Meat rabbits weighing 10 pounds at maturity should have 10 square feet per doe. This figure of 10 square feet may be about right for Californians but for New Zealands perhaps 12 square feet of space per doe is better because many New Zealand does weigh about 12 pounds and will raise 8 young to 4-1 pounds each at 8 weeks.
Nom
Figure 11.
Hutch constructed entirely of wire. Note how the feeders are placed, the way the side opens for a door, and the metal pan under the upper cage which diverts the droppings and urine to the back so that they do not fall on rabbits in lower hutch.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 17
TYPES OF HUTCHES. There are several kinds of hutches. They vary from those made entirely of wire or hardware cloth, used inside a building which keeps out the rain, to those built with a roof and three sides of solid construction and only the front and part of the bottom made of wire. Arguments arise regarding the use of all-metal hutches as contrasted to those having some wood, particularly part of the floor. The wire construction is easier to keep clean because a blow torch can be used on it. Also, it does not permit the rabbit to come in contact with feces. However, on wire alone heavy rabbits
Figure 12.
Hutches with metal roof over entire group.
t

18 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
Figure 13.
A three-tier hutch with part-wood and part-wire bottoms.
The wire at the back permits the droppings and urine to go through to the metal pan which diverts them to the rear. Rabbits can rest on the wood in front.
Feed which is spilled does not drop through. If these hutches are used outside, a good roof is necessary. They can be arranged in rows so that feeding can be done on both sides of a feed alley and droppings from the two rows go into a gutter which is between them.
sometimes develop sore hocks. One can put a board in the hutch as a place for the rabbit to rest its hocks but this may lead to a lack of proper sanitation. Hardware cloth of ,heavy wire and large spacing is not likely to catch hocks of little rabbits. Three-fourths or one-inch mesh hardware cloth makes good wire bottoms for hutches.
LOCATING THE HUTCH. Outdoor hutches should be located to take advantage of existing shade and of natural windbreaks. A laurel hedge makes an excellent windbreak giving protection from south or west winds. Hutches on the north or east of such hedges or board fences are protected. A hutch that is located under and on the north side of a tree will have the advantage of shade in the summer.
The nest box
Several kinds of nest boxes are used. Apple boxes are desirable if part of one side is removed. The box with litter is placed in the
bunnies start getting out. After this, it
easy for them to get in and out of the box. When bunnies are little they sometimes hang to the teat and are carried out. Since it is best that they stay in the nest box at this time, the box is turned with

RABBIT PRODUCTION 19
high side so that the doe will scrape little bunnies loose inside the nest box as she hops out. Some people use a nail keg with board in front as a nest box.
Figure 14.
wind.
Hutch located so that board fence gives protection from the prevailing
Figure 15.
Placing an outdoor hutch under and on north side of a tree provides protection from the sun.

20 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
Figure 16.
Apple box in hutch for nest box. As bunnies grow box is turned around.
(Top) When bunnies are little, box has low side next to wall.
(Bottom) When bunnies are bigger, box has low side turned so that young can get in and out of nest easily. In this illustration, the nest box should have been removed from the hutch before the young had grown to this size.
Water and feeding equipment
Large rabbitries may have water piped to each hutch but the beginner or small operator will probably use crocks 6 inches across.
If they are placed inside the open side of the hutch, water can be added from a hose on which a faucet is placed. The crock will need to be removed and thoroughly washed each week. It is usually best to have extra ones so that dirty ones can be replaced with clean ones.
But always wash the dirty ones as soon as they are taken out because they clean more easily then and it is often good to let crock sun dry after cleaning.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 21
Crocks can also be used for feeding pellets, or one can put in self feeders so that feed can be added from the outside and eaten from the inside.
Figure 17. Feeder installed in wire of door. Note that feeder can be removed for cleaning.
Feed is added from outside and eaten from inside. This type of feeder is not useful unless the hutch is under a roof. The feeder shown here is desirable for the grain but not for feeding hay.
The card in holder below feeder provides a handy place to keep the feeding record.
wow--
Figure 18.
Hutch arrangement with hay feeder made of poultry netting between two compartments.

22 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
Rabbits need to be fed for maintenance (the daily need for the
"wear and tear" on the body), reproduction, milk production, growth, and fattening. Reproduction, milk production, and growth needs are largely proteins, minerals, vitamins, and energy foods. The proteins can be supplied through good quality legume hay such as alfalfa or clover, or the oil meals such as soybean, linseed, or cottonseed oil meals. The minerals that might be needed are calcium, phosphorus, iodine, and ordinary salt. A mixture of equal parts finely ground limestone, steamed bone meal, and iodized salt, given free choice in a box or compressed into a spool will supply these needs. If you put this salt mixture into the grain feed, do not add more than two per cent to the concentrates.
Two vitamins, A and D, are likely to be a problem. Vitamin A is usually supplied through good quality green legume hays or yellow corn in the form of carotene. If good green hay is fed, there should be no lack of this vitamin. Vitamin D may be given in the feed or supplied by action of sunshine on the animal. Sunshine on the animal
materials into vitamin D. Since many rabbits are raised without being in the sunlight and may be fed heat-dried rather than suncured hays, one needs to take a precaution and add this vitamin to the feed for young growing rabbits. The best way is through irradiated yeast. Cod liver oil can supply the vitamin but gives the meat a bad taste.
A lot of energy is needed for the mother rabbit to give milk and for the growing young to gain weight and fatten. The cereal grains supply this, primarily in the form of carbohydrates (the starches and sugars). Fats may also supply energy, but we do not usually feed more fat to rabbits than that contained in the grains.
but such processing is not necessary as far as the rabbit is concerned.
Feeding the doe and litter
For the doe to give milk and for the young to grow and fatten it is essential that good concentrates be fed liberally. This can be done by feeding 3 to 4 parts rolled or cracked cereal grains to 1 part
such as corn, oats, wheat, barley, or milo is better than any one of these fed alone.
Likewise, a mixture of 2 or 3 oil meals such as soybean, cottonseed, peanut, or linseed meal is better than any one of these fed alone.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 23
A concentrate mixture like this and good quality alfalfa or other legume hay should be self-fed to does and litters. Keep in mind that you must allow plenty of feed at this time if the mother rabbit is to give lots of milk and if the little bunnies are to grow and fatten.
Little rabbits at 8 or 9 weeks of age should weigh 4 to 44 pounds each and be fat enough to butcher. If they are not, you will lose money. Little rabbits won't ,gain for 2 to 3 weeks after weaning but they still eat feed !
You will find that little rabbits cannot eat a large quantity of coarse roughage or green feed and still eat enough grain feed to fatten. They will not eat enough good quality legume hay to interfere with grain consumption if both are self-fed. However, they like green
,
74k\
-art
Figure 19.
Young rabbits will sometimes eat so much green feed that they have a
"tummy ache" but still not eat enough of it to fatten.
, see, then, that you might hurt young rabbits by feeding green feeds.
For this reason you had better give the green feed to dry does and bucks.
Dry does and bucks
Rabbits that are not growing rapidly or reproducing do not need so much of the concentrate feeds. In fact, good quality legume hay will supply their needs quite well. Pregnant does should receive some concentrates shortly before they kindle so that they can start milking in good shape. Since dry does and bucks need little or no grain, one can feed some green feed to them. Always remember not

24 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745 petizers or "salads." Don't try to make the poor rabbit eat nothing but "salad."
Use of pellets
Pellets may have an advantage in ease of feeding, particularly for the small operator because the purchasing of hay, grains, and oil meals may be impractical.
Also, labor is saved in the feeding of pellets. One must remember, however, that the kind of pellet needed for does and litters is not what is needed for bucks and dry does.
In the case of does and litters a pellet composed largely of concentrates is needed while for bucks and dry does a pellet composed
Figure 20.
Methods of handling rabbits.
(Upper left) Holding rabbit so that weight falls on rump rather than on loose skin over the back. (Above) Carrying a rabbit.
(Left)
Picking up young rabbit prior to slaughter.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 25 largely of legume hay is needed.
If one could secure concentrate pellets and hay pellets, adjustments in feeding according to the need of the rabbit would be possible.
Antibiotics
We don't know what effect the different antibiotics have on rabbits.
Until work is done at some experiment station showing a need for antibiotics and demonstrating the benefits from specific antibiotic materials, you probably had just as well not feed them.
It is possible that certain antibiotics might be harmful to the rabbits.
Does and bucks are picked up by the loose skin over the back just behind the shoulders. Generally one also has the ears included in the grasp of loose skin but never pick up a rabbit by its ears only!
You may break the ears loose and cause them to flop down because the rabbit no longer can hold them erect. To quiet the rabbit one may put his other hand under the rump. This prevents the rabbit from the discomfort of all its weight pulling from the skin and will keep the rabbit from scratching you in its struggle to get loose.
If one is carrying a rabbit for some distance it may be carried near the body with the left hand under the rump, left arm around the rabbit and the right hand grasping the loose skin of the back. Young rabbits should not be picked up by the skin of the back just before slaughter as this will break some of the small blood vessels and leave bloody, bruised appearing spots on the carcass. Generally one picks up the young by the loin.
A high degree of fertility is dependent upon good inheritance but even with this, obtaining and raising litters of large size depends a great deal on management of breeding animals.
Age to first breed
The age to breed a female rabbit depends more on size than any other factor.
If she is well grown out, she can be bred first at a much younger age than if she is stunted. New Zealand does that have reached a weight of eight pounds may be bred with no ill effects even though they may be young. Does of this breed should not be bred until they have reached seven pounds even though they are eight or nine months of age. Keep in mind that it is the suckling of the

26 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745 litter rather than pregnancy which hurts a young doe ; therefore, size must be attained before she starts nursing her young.
The buck rabbit can be used when he is eight months old but he should not have heavy service until he has reached a size approaching maturity.
Breeding procedures
Always take the doe to the buck's cage instead of the buck to the doe's cage. He knows his own pen quite well and will not want to explore the place when the doe is brought to him. Thus, he directs his full attention to the doe and will promptly serve her if she is receptive. On the other hand if he is taken to her cage his first in-
Figure 21.
Restraining a doe for breeding.
terest is exploring her cage. Sometimes an hour is spent in this way before the buck turns his attention to the doe.
Some does may be in condition for breeding but they will not accept the buck. It is best to force mate such does so that they can be kept in production. By holding the doe by the ears with one hand and holding up her rear with the other hand placed under her, one can force breed the doe. (Figures 21 and 22). Such matings usually are followed by pregnancy.
After mating, rabbits either go into a false pregnancy, which lasts for about 17 days, or they become pregnant. Thus, it is not likely that a doe will accept the buck before the 17th or 18th day after she is bred even if she did not become pregnant. Some time can be saved,

RABBIT PRODUCTION 27
Figure 22.
Restraining doe for mating when service is not promptly accepted.
Position of hands for holding the doe and supporting and elevating the hind quarters.
Correct position of index finger and thumb (latter on opposite side of vulva, hidden by fur) of left hand for pushing the skin backward, thus elevating the tail.
however, by testing does at the 18th day after breeding to see if they are in heat. If one waits till time for kindling it requires 32 days rather than 18 to make this determination. Consequently 14 days' time is saved by testing for pregnancy at the 18th day. Experienced persons can palpate does to determine if they are pregnant but this is not recommended for beginners. This method has some advantages once a person has developed the skill because of greater accuracy.
Some pregnant does will accept the buck and some open does will refuse the buck, so testing with the buck on the 18th day is not completely accurate. A skilled person at palpating will be very accurate at 14 to 16 days after breeding and can get to where his accuracy is satisfactory even at 8 days after breeding.
The normal doe will kindle 30 to 32 days after breeding. She should be put in a hutch by herself at about 28 days after breeding so that she will have time to become accustomed to her surroundings.
This hutch should be spotlessly clean. Wooden material about the hutch can be cleaned with hot lye water and then thoroughly rinsed.
If possible the hutch should then be sun dried. A nest box should be put in with straw or some suitable litter in the nest box. One should watch the doe but not disturb her at or near time of kindling.
If the doe starts to build her nest outside the nest box, do all you can to encourage this by building a better one in the same place for her. The chances are that she will move it to the nest box. If you try to build her nest for her in the box, she will likely move it out.

28 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
Figure 23.
Palpating for determining pregnancy in the rabbit.
One should be sure that fresh water is before all rabbits at all times but it is most important that does at kindling or shortly after have water. Lack of water, even for a short time at this period may mean the loss of the litter of young.
Generally one should refrain from abrupt changes in diet at or near kindling.
full feed during pregnancy they can be left on full feed at time of kindling with no harm. If green feed or appetizers are given at kindling or shortly thereafter they should be very limited in amount.
One should usually breed two or three does at about the same time. A good vigorous buck could serve a doe in the morning, the
which he could be rested for a few days. These three does should kindle near the same time which will make possible adjustments in litter size. Usually no trouble arises from placing young from a large size litter into the nest with a small size litter, if this is done the first day after kindling. By this means large litters can be reduced in number and, small litters increased in number.
It is usually best to leave only 8 young with the doe even if this means destroying some young. One should always destroy the smaller, and weaker and keep the bigger, stronger young in the process of reducing litter size. If you know the doe and are assured of her raising more than eight young successfully, you may permit her to do so.
But remember that eight big, fat young at weaning time are worth more than 10 or 12 small, poorly fleshed young.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 29
Fast gains in young rabbits are extremely important and the ability to gain fast is controlled in part by inheritance. However, regardless of the good breeding, young rabbits will not gain fast and become fat if the doe and litter are not properly fed and cared for.
Good quality legume hay and grain supplemented with protein concentrates should be fed liberally. If pellets are given they should be high in protein and total digestible nutrients, and all the doe and litter will consume without waste should be fed.
It is very costly to wean undersized and thin rabbits and feed them out ; therefore, every attempt should be made through good breeding, good feeding, and good care to have them big and fat at eight weeks of age ready for slaughter.
The sex of rabbits can be ascertained before the testes descend into the scrotum. Generally one needs to know the sexes at weaning because young replacement does may be kept from the better litters while bucks and less desirable does are slaughtered. If one pulls the skin of the external genitalia back from the ventral side, the external opening in the male will present a circle whereas that of the female presents an up-and-down slit. One should have no difficulty in sexing weanling rabbits once he sees this difference.
Records
It is on the basis of records that we know how profitable the rabbit enterprise is and also how profitable each rabbit in the unit is.
Without records one does not know what he is doing either in rabbits as a business venture or in the proper selection for improving his production. When you are inclined to remember something rather than record it, think of the old Chinese saying : "Faintest record is better than fondest memory."
Identification
Before we can keep records on a particular rabbit, it must have an identification number. The best way to identify rabbits is by ear tattoo.
Quite frequently a letter is used to designate the year the rabbit was born and a number to designate the order of birth within the year.
Production records
Generally one finds record cards more usable than record books.
Cards that fit into a metal holder can be placed on the hutch and a duplicate record kept either in a record book or on a similar card.
A card which is in use by Oregon State College for the doe record is shown on page 31. You may want to simplify this some but emphasis on litter weight and variation in weight of the young at wean-

30 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
Figure 24.
Tattoo in ear of rabbit. "D" is code letter for year 1953; "2" indicates second rabbit born that year.
ifig is essential for improvement. Some of you may even want to keep individual doe-and-litter feed records. This will give much more of a sound basis for selection and certainly will show you which does are profitable and those that aren't. The card shown on page 31 has space for five litters on the face and five on the back.
In order to keep this record you will want a pair of scales that is reasonably accurate to 1/10th pound or to ounces and have some type of box in which to place the rabbit while weighing it. Sometimes shorthand symbols are used in showing sex. The symbol e means male and means female. One can use F female and M = male just as satisfactorily.
The buck record card used at Oregon State College is shown on page 32. In the case of the buck which naturally will sire many litters the back of the card is used and then extra cards are used to complete his lifetime record. One card is generally enough for one breeding season.
A simplified record card which is kept on the hutch with a duplicate kept at the house is used by and recommended for club children.
The essential material is obtained by using this card except for variations in weaning weight and feed cost by does.

Ear No.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3
2.
3.
1.
2.
2.
3.
Breed
Sire
Dam
No.
Sire
Breed
Date of
Breeding
5
Grandsire
Grandam
5
Grandsire
Grandam
Date of Birth
Disposal
Wt.
.
PRODUCTION RECORD
Date of
Kindling
No. of Young
Dead Alive
Date of
Weaning
No.
Weaned
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sex No.
-
.
.
3.
5.
Young weaning record
Wt.
Sex
6
7.
8.
9.
10.
6.
7.
s.
9.
10.
67.
7.
8.
No.
O.
6.
7.
3.
4.
5.
1.
3.
4.
5.
.
10.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Wt.
Comments

Ear No.
No.
Dam
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
1.
Date of
Breeding
Breed
Sire
Dam
Wt.
Grandsire
Grandam
Date of Birth
Grandsire
Grandam
No. of Young
Dead Alive
No.
Weaned
1.
2.
PRODUCTION RECORD
Sex No.
1
Young weaning record
Wt.
Sex
6.
7.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
9.
10.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
No.
Disposal
Wt.
Comments

Name or No. of doe
Birth date
Litter
Number Date Bred
Date Due
Breed
Number in litter
Date
Kindled
Number Born
Live Dead
Weight at 56 days
Date
56 Day Record
Number Total Wt.
Average Wt.
Remarks on other side

34 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
Figure 25.
A three-tier hutch with one door front showing hutches numbered, feeders in place, and record cards in holder on each hutch.
The profit from rabbit production may depend as much upon your knowledge of marketing as on your ability to care properly for the rabbits.
Selling rabbits for market
Fryers weighing 4 to 44- pounds that are plump. and fat will find a ready market. Generally these young are sold to those who buy and dress rabbits in a larger town because large-town consumers generally are heavier rabbit eaters. Rabbits that are thin, sick, crippled, or badly off-type are not wanted and have a tendency to lower the demands of the housewife for rabbits. Unfortunately, these undesirable rabbits tend to lower the prices received for the good ones.
Rabbit production tends to be seasonal because many people raise rabbits in the spring and summer, tire of them when fall approaches, and go out of production through the winter. Those who stay in the business and try to have -a regular supply going to the processors will help to prevent the periods of high and low prices.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 35
Some of you may want to grow the rabbits larger than fryers, those weighing six or more pounds alive which will dress out three to three and a half pounds of carcass. These rabbits may be in demand by larger families and are used for roasting rather than frying.
Because they are usually more costly per pound to produce, one must get a higher price to realize a profit.
It is to be hoped that rabbits some day will be sold on a graded basis. This should be an aid to the producer and the buyer because at present the person who produces choice butcher rabbits gets no premium.
Rabbit butchering
Rabbits may be made unconscious by stunning with a sharp blow at base of the skull or by dislocating the neck prior to removing the head. Some people prefer to hang the rabbit by one hind leg either with a cord looped over the leg or by hanging the rabbit on a sharp hook immediately after which the head is removed. To remove the head one should hold the head with ears pressed down by left hand.
The knife is placed just behind the ears with the right hand and by a quick stroke down the knife is forced between the head and the neck joint.
Figure 26.
Method of handling rabbit and cutting off head.
This method allows quick bleeding.
It is as humane as stunning first provided the head is removed quickly.

Figure 27.
Method of cutting up rabbit for market.
Left:
Dorsal view of live rabbit.
Left: Dressed rabbit.
Left: ing from.
Cut-up carcass, showwhere parts come
Below: Rabbit cut up and packaged for marketing.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 37
Remove the tail and the free rear leg at the hock joint, 'and cut off the front feet. This may be done with a knife or pruning shears.
Then cut the skin just below the hock of the suspended leg and open it on the inside of the leg to the root of the tail, continuing the incision to the hock of the left leg. Carefully separate the edges of the skin from the carcass, taking special pains to leave all fat on the carcass as the skin is pulled down over the animal. This makes a more attractive meat product. As soon as the skin is removed, it should be placed on a stretcher, secured, and hung up for drying.
Figure 28.
Method of stretching rabbit skins.

38 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
After the carcass has been skinned, make a slit along the belly and remove the entrails but leave the liver in place. Remove the right hind foot at the hock. Take particular care not to get hairs on the carcass because they are difficult to remove and detract from appearance. Rinse the carcass in cold water. Brush the rabbit's neck thoroughly in water to remove the blood. It is not good practice to leave the carcass in water more than 15 minutes because prolonged soaking causes it to absorb water, and water in the meat is considered adulteration.
It is usually advisable to shape the carcass during chilling. A string may be used to hold the hind legs down near the body making the hind quarter more plump in appearance (Figure 27). Carcasses should be chilled overnight before being cut up.
The rabbit carcass may be sold whole or cut up ready for the pan. Most people prefer the carcass cut up because of convenience.
Standard methods of cutting up have not been adopted but the general procedure is to cut friers into two front legs, bony back or rib as one or two depending on whether it is split down the center, back, loin, and two hind legs. Each hind leg may be cut into two pieces.
The two hind legs, the loin, and the back are the most important parts of the carcass (See Figure 27).
The skins are stretched, skin side out, over wire stretchers which are made from 8-gauge galvanized wire (Figure 28). All four legs should be placed on one side of the stretcher and the back of the pelt on the other side. The stretched skin can be hung to dry in a cool, well-ventilated place.
Selling breeding stock
The selling of breeding stock is a business in itself. It requires the establishment of a reputation which is built up through years of constructive breeding and honest business transactions.
The best advice is to sell for breeding only those animals which would be good enough to go into your own breeding herd. Remember, the breeding animal used by someone else is your advertisement ; unproductive or off-type rabbits do not help to sell more animals. The best sales aid you can have is satisfied customers. The buyer is satisfied only if his stock produces properly. If breeding stock in the hands of a purchaser fails to perform well, it is to your best interest for you to help him with his problems and to exchange good stock for any which is not proving productive.
Home use of rabbits
Many people keep rabbits to provide meat for the home. If this is your plan it is best to put some in the cold storage locker for the

RABBIT PRODUCTION 39 periods when none are ready for slaughter. One may want to butcher a few when they are smaller (3 to 31 pounds) to provide fresh meat and a few may be carried to 5 or 6 pounds.
Remember that rabbits never come out of the locker in better shape than they go into it. To keep well, they should be choice carcasses, properly cleaned and well wrapped or placed in good cartons.
Cellophane bags and aluminum foil make good wrappings and treated cardboard cartons are excellent for cut-up friers. Good storage can usually be obtained in a locker for three months but carcasses left in the locker for more than a year may become rancid.
One should serve along with rabbit some type of food that stimulates salivary flow such as a fruit sauce or salad in order to make rabbit more tasty.
Some people use high flavoring of the rabbit meat to bring about salivary flow. Some good and tried recipes follow :
TRUSS
Fasten bacon over shoulder and back.
Baste with a mixture of cup butter and cup boiling water.
Stuff as for chicken.
Turn several times.
BROILED
Plump young rabbit weighing less than 3 pounds.
Split down the center lack.
Wipe meat with dampened cloth.
Coat with seasoned flour. Lay rabbit back down on a rack in a shallow roasting pan; put generous pieces of butter or other fat in hollows ; cook uncovered in moderate oven (350°F) for 40- 50 minutes or until
; tender. Turn skin side out ; baste with pan drippings and place in a preheated broiling oven to brown.
FRIED
Cut a plump young rabbit weighing not more than three pounds in pieces for serving ; cook with seasoned flour.
(i tsp, salt, tsp.
pepper, and 1i tsp, paprika for I cup flour).
Heat about inch of fat in a deep frying pan hot but not smoking. Put the thickest pieces in the pan first in one layer, leaving room for the fat to come up between the pieces ; cover and cook at moderate heat. Turn the pieces when brown on one side ; if the frying pan will not hold all the rabbit, transfer the browned pieces to a baking pan ; cover and finish the cooking in a moderate oven (350°F).
HASENPFEFFER
2 rabbits, cut in servings
2 cups vinegar
2 cups water cup sliced onion
6 whole peppers
10 whole allspice
8-10 cloves
1 bay leaf
1i tsp. salt
Wash the rabbit. Place in a bowl with vinegar, water, onion, and seasonings. Cover and let stand in a cool place 3 to 8 days. Remove from spiced vinegar and braise using one to two cups of spiced vinegar for liquid. Makes about six servings.

40 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
5.
PICKLED RABBIT.
(Sunset Book, Cooking with a Foreign Accent)
2 rabbits cut for frying vinegar and water
1 medium-sized onion, sliced tsp. salt tsp. pepper tsp. whole cloves
4 bay leaves k cup butter
1 cup sour cream
Cover rabbit with a marinade of half water and half vinegar, to which have been added the onion, salt, pepper, cloves, and bay leaves. Cover and allow to marinate in a cool place at least 2 days. Remove the rabbit and dry the pieces. Heat butter in Dutch oven, and brown rabbit, slowly turning often. Gradually add a little of the marinating sauce, then cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 30 minutes.
Just before serving, add the sour cream.
6.
ROASTED RABBIT
Clean, wash and dry rabbit. Rub inside with salt, fill with stuffing as desired, sew up and truss; brush with melted fat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place on side in roaster. Roast, uncovered, in moderately slow oven (3250-3500 F.) for PI to 1 hours, or until tender, basting occasionally with melted fat if desired, and turning rabbit when half done. Yield : 4 to 6 portions.
For roasted rabbit, a nut dressing is very nice. A regular sage dressing such as is common for chicken may be used. To this a cup of sliced hazel nuts, filberts, or almonds may be added. This complements the flavor of the rabbit.
7.
STEWED RABBIT
1 rabbit, dressed
2 teaspoons salt
Cover rabbit with boiling water, bring to boil, then reduce heat and continue 'cooking slowly, covered, about Pi hours, or until tender. A tasty stew similar to veal scallopini, containing onion, mushroom, sour cream or buttermilk, and tarragon is delicious especially when served with a bland food such as Armenian rice or noodles that have been cooked in broth until all the broth is absorbed.
Armenian Rice
1 cup rice or barley
1 T. of drippings or butter
Brown the rice or barley very slowly in the hot fat. Use a heavy saucepan.
It is important to brown slowly and brown until each grain is golden in color.
Add 2 cups of rich broth or two cups of water and three chicken or beef bouillon cubes.
Cover with a heavy lid and reduce heat. Simmer for about k hour or until tender. The rice or barley should take up all of the liquid and be light and fluffy.
If desired, the browned rice or barley may be placed in a casserole and browned onion or mushroom or sliced toasted almonds may be added or a combination of the three. Then the rich broth can be added and the casserole covered and placed in the oven, 325-350° for perhaps
50 minutes.
8.
BARBECUED RABBIT
After cutting up rabbit, roll in flour as you would if you were frying it, put in hot oil.
Transfer to a roasting pan.
Pour barbecue sauce over meat.
Roast uncovered, until tender, 21- or 3 hours. (350°F). Baste at different times.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 41
Sauce cup tomato juice
1 cup vinegar cup strong coffee
1 onion diced tsp, prepared mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 tablespoon sugar these may be omitted
1 tsp. Worchestershire Sauce tsp. Chili powder
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
Combine ingredients. Blend well. Simmer 20 min. Add 1 cup catsup if desired.
9.
SEASONINGS AND FLAVORINGS
Buttermilk or sour cream are delicious with rabbit.
Rabbit and mushroom blend well. Mushrooms may be added to fried rabbit, or stewed rabbit, or a can of mushroom soup may be added to rabbit stew. When mushrooms and rabbit are used together, tarragon
(herb either fresh or dried) accents the flavor.
Preparing rabbits for the show
A rabbit that is to be shown should be placed as single animal to the hutch with no rabbit adjoining that might pull out hair.
It is extremely important to keep the pens clean where show rabbits are kept. Nothing is as detracting from a good rabbit as dirtiness. An all-wire hutch is easier to keep clean but a board for the rabbit to rest its hocks on may be desirable.
Be sure to check to see if you have a good rabbit before you enter it in the show. If there are ear mites, sore hocks, running eyes, or any skin lesions, these should be cleared up by proper attention well in advance of the show. For more information consult "Diseases in Oregon Rabbits," Extension Bulletin No. 726, August 1952 for methods of cure and prevention of these conditions. Also check to see if the animal has good teeth that match and if it has desirable conformation.
It
show than for the judge to eliminate it from the class.
Be sure to enter your rabbit in the right class. Consult your age and weight groups and anticipate where your rabbit will be when the show date arrives. Remember that an animal that is out of its class will not be permitted to compete in that class.
Handle your rabbits gently and often to get them accustomed to being handled. Be sure to handle properly. Never do things to excite them but be consistent and see that they do what you want them to do. Try placing them on the table and positioning them in show form. To quiet them one may place an arm on each side of

42 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
Figure 29.
Positioning rabbit on table for show.
the rabbit. The feet can then be pushed into place with one under each corner. The rabbit may be "stretched" some or "bunched" a bit to make it present the best appearance.
-
Feed show rabbits a good ration containing oil meals to help put the fur in shape. Don't use green feeds in amounts which might scour the rabbit. To make a good showing the rabbits need to be in good condition but not over-fat. Too much feed may throw them out of the weight classification.
Showing
Rabbits are brought to the show in a clean crate. They should be taken out and fed and watered upon arrival. The animal will need to be tattooed or numbered if it has no identification.
Some shows do not require any showing of the rabbits by the owner. The rabbits are usually brought to the judge's table where the clerk checks the number and entry to see if all is in order. The judge weighs the rabbits to determine if they are in the right class and looks them over for disqualifications. All rabbits remaining in the class may be held by exhibitors or they may be placed in the judging pens on the judge's table. If you are showing the rabbits, keep in mind that courtesy is very important. Present your animal as the judge directs. Be considerate of other exhibitors, keeping your rabbit where it belongs and never bothering the other person's rabbit. It is good to position your rabbit so it makes the best possible appearance.

RABBIT PRODUCTION 43
When the judge moves the rabbits to place them in order of merit, be attentive and respond graciously to his directions even though he places your rabbit down. When the judge has placed the class, find out why but ask your questions, if any, in a way of seeking information rather than of "putting the judge on the spot." Remember that he is placing them as he sees them and that if you are going to learn you must be willing to listen.
After the rabbits have been placed, the ribbons awarded, the judge given his reasons, and the questions answered, the rabbits should be returned to their proper cages in an orderly fashion and attention given for the call for the next class.
Judging rabbits
Boys and girls in club work, project leaders, and extension agents all have occasion to participate in rabbit judging.
If you are called on to judge, the first thing to do is to consult your "standard" and learn what rabbits of the breed you are judging should be like.
See that the rabbits are in the right weight and sex classification.
general disqualifications. After you have sifted out those that should not be in the class for one reason or another, you are faced with the problem of placing them. The most important place is the one you are making winner. Be sure you find the best animal. Other placings are not so important in placing; but giving reasons for placings is important, particularly to boys and girls. The only way they have of learning is by proper experience and training. Unless you have a good reason for a placing you might better take another good look at the rabbits.
Remember that you should give most attention to the more important parts. In meat rabbits, conformation is more important than fur ; for that reason you must pay particular attention to meat type and conformation. More people confuse themselves with minute details and fine points and never even look for the big and obvious differences in blockiness, smoothness, plumpness, etc.
In giving reasons as to why you placed them, remember that it is always much easier to give reasons if you have reasons. Thus, proper placing of the class makes reason-giving simpler. You should develop a system of talking about the class. If you start at the front end of a rabbit, proceed in an orderly fashion to discuss the placing from there backwards. You may want to reverse the order used here, but if you do you should be continuous in order of going over animal.
Do not talk head, loin, ears, hind legs, eyes, ribs, and feet in that order, but if you start with head, cover eyes and ears, ribs, loin, and

44 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745 hind legs. This makes it possible for the listener to follow your discussion. It is also wise to have a system of describing such that you first tell how you place them, why the placing of the top or second place, why the second place over the third place, why the third place over the fourth place, and why the fourth placed animal was left at the bottom of the class.
Never use the word "better" in discussing a placing but tell why it is "better." Thus you say one is plumper in the leg, wider in the loin, smoother in the shoulder, carries more natural fleshing, shorter in the neck, etc., but not "better" in these respects.
REASON SAMPLE
"I place this class of junior does 2, 1, 3, 4.
I placed Number 2 first and over Number 1 because she has the blockiest meat type in the class. She is shorter and broader in the head, shorter in neck, broader but smoother over the shoulder, and wider in the loin ; she carries more meat in the hind quarter than the number 1 rabbit. I'll concede that both number 1 and number 3 have the edge over number 2 in fur.
I placed number 1 over number 3 but considered this a very close pair in that they both have good fur and both lack some in blockiness or meat type. I placed the number
1 over the number 3 because she has straighter front legs, is smoother over the hip bones and a little wider in the loin.
"I placed number 3 easily over number 4 because of more desirable fur, blockier type, wider body, and more natural fleshing.
I left number 4 at the bottom of the class because she is long bodied, pinched in the heart, narrow throughout and her fur is listless and out of condition."
This will give you a style, but it is up to you to see "why" and
"how" the class is placed as it is.
Summary
You have been presented with some material on rabbit production with the hope that those lacking in experience may learn with fewer losses and the experienced may improve in his operations.
Keep in mind that there are many reputable breeders in Oregon who can and will advise you in your rabbit production. Oregon State
College, through its research program and extension service stands ready to assist you at all times with your rabbit problems. Consult your County Extension Agent for any advice you may want.
In addition, the U. S. Rabbit Experiment Station, Fontana, California, welcomes inquiries from rabbit producers in any part of the United
States.

V
RABBIT PRODUCTION 45
Some of you will want to read a great deal about rabbits and learn more than has been presented in this bulletin. For those, a list of good references on rabbits is included. Certain phases of rabbit production, particularly fancy rabbit and wool production, have been omitted from the present manuscript but reference is made to these phases in the list of reading material.
To the beginner, to the experienced producer, and to the County
Agents who are trying to help everyone, sincere wishes are extended.
Feed Required to Produce 6-pound Rabbits after Weaning and Conditions Affecting Carcass Grades and Cuts.
By Charles E. Kellogg, George S.
Templeton and Allan Suitor. Cir. 819, U.S.D.A., Washington, D. C.
Palpating Domestic Rabbits to Determine Pregnancy. By Allan Suitor, U. S.
Rabbit Experiment Station, Fontana, California.
Guide Book of American Rabbit and Cavy Breeders Association, 4323 Murray
Avenue, Pittsburgh 17, Pa.
How to Raise Rabbits for Food and Fur. By Frank G. Ashbrook. Orange
Judd Publishing Co., Inc., 26th Street, New York, N. Y.
Rabbit Breeder's Guide. By John C. Fehr.
Small Stock Magazine, Lamoni,
Iowa.
Rabbit and Hare Cookery. By Marcellus W. Meek. Reliable Fur Industries,
Montebello, California.
Rabbit Judging Manual. By John C. Fehr.
Small Stock Magazine, Lamoni,
Iowa.
Rabbit Raising for Profit. By Marcellus Meek. Greenberg Publishing Co., New
York, N. Y.
The Rabbit Book. By F. L. Washburn. J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa.
Diseases in Oregon Rabbits.
By James Sullivan. Extension Bulletin 726,
Oregon State College, Corvallis, Oregon.
Sore Hocks in Domestic Rabbits. By George S. Templeton, Director. U. S.
Rabbit Experiment Station, Fontana, California.
Rabbit Production. Farmers Bulletin No. 1730. U.S.D.A., Washington 25, D.C.
Common Diseases of Domestic Rabbits. By Everett F. Lund. U. S. Rabbit
Experiment Station, Fontana, California.
Mortality Among Hutch-Raised Domestic Rabbits.
By Everett E. Lund.
Zoological Division, Bureau of Animal Industry, Agricultural Research
Administration, Washington 25, D. C. Circular No. 883.
Malocclusion, or "Buck Teeth", in Rabbits. By George S. Templeton. U. S.
Rabbit Experiment Station, Fontana, California.
Raising Rabbits for Meat. By P. F. English.
Pennsylvania State College,
School of Agriculture, Agricultural Extension Service, State College, Pa.
Home Production of Rabbits for Meat, Pelts, and Profit. By A. Lawrence.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Raising Rabbits in Nevada. By L. E. Cline. Bulletin No. 92. Agricultural Extension Service, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada.
Larro Rabbit Guide. Rabbit Service Department, Larro Research Farm, Detroit, Michigan.

46 EXTENSION BULLETIN 745
Producing Rabbits for Meat. Ralph Bogart. College of Agriculture, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.
Value and Use of Rabbit Manure. By George S. Templeton. U. S. Rabbit
Experiment Station, Fontana, California.
The Care of Rabbits. By W. J. Hamilton, Jr.
Cornell Extension Bulletin 284.
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
Pseudopregnancy in Domestic Rabbits. By George S. Templeton. U. S. Rabbit
Experiment Station, Fontana, California.
Rabbit Raising.
Extension Service, College of Agriculture, University of
Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Rabbit Raising. By R. E. Callender. Texas A & M College, College Station,
Texas.
Fall Breeding Problems. By George S. Templeton. U. S. Rabbit Experiment
Station, Fontana, California.
Purina Rabbit Book. Ralston Purina Co., St. Louis 2, Mo.
Your 4-H Rabbit Project.
Circular 2396.
Colorado A & M College, Fort
Collins, Colorado.
A Handbook on Rabbit Raising. By H. M. Butterfield.
California Agricultural Extension Service, College of Agriculture, University of California,
Berkeley, California.
Standard of Perfection. American Rabbit and Cavy Breeders Association, 4323
Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh 17, Pa.